The Dart: Lisa Saunders

Published 12:16 am Monday, September 19, 2011

Lisa Saunders trims her neighbor’s grass with a weed trimmer Saturday afternoon on Dogwood Street in Vidalia. (Eric Shelton \ The Natchez Democrat)

NATCHEZ — Neighborly give and take was part of just another weekend for Lisa Saunders of Dogwood Avenue in Vidalia where The Dart landed Saturday.

Like many of her neighbors, Saunders took advantage of the slightly cooler temperatures to manicure her lawn, and the lawn of her neighbors — Scott and Betty Taylor. The Taylors were away, so Saunders let her weed trimmer guide her next door to edge their flowerbeds and driveway.

Because Saunders has muscular dystrophy, weed eating is done from her motorized wheelchair.

Email newsletter signup

“It won’t be perfect,” Saunders said, laughing. “But it will be all right.”

For Saunders, a Natchez native, taking care of her neighbors is part of a special relationship. Saunders said Scott has a riding lawn mower, and he takes care of both lawns.

“He cuts our grass for us out of kindness,” Saunders said. “So I try to do the edging for him. I don’t think it’s something he likes to do.

“I like for it to look nice for him, like he wants our yard to look nice for us.”

Saunders brandished her cordless weed eater — a bright orange Black and Decker — around the yards, carefully touching up rock-lined beds.

For anyone with physical limitations, Saunders said it’s important to at least attempt tasks that might seem tricky. Saunders said she figured out a way to comfortably hold the weed eater, even though she’s a little tired when the job is done.

“It may not be done the way it’s supposed to be done, but just try,” Saunders said. “The only thing about it — allergies. I might pay for it tomorrow.”